Tom Yum Chicken Soup (Printable)

Aromatic Thai soup with chicken, lemongrass, and lime. Spicy, sour, and incredibly flavorful in under an hour.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced

→ Broth

02 - 5 cups chicken stock
03 - 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and smashed
04 - 4 slices fresh galangal (about 0.42 oz) or 2 teaspoons dried galangal
05 - 5 makrut lime leaves, torn into pieces
06 - 4 birds eye chilies, lightly crushed

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

07 - 5.3 oz mushrooms (oyster or button), sliced
08 - 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
09 - 1 small onion, sliced
10 - 3 cloves garlic, smashed

→ Seasonings

11 - 3 tablespoons fish sauce
12 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more to taste
13 - 1 teaspoon sugar
14 - 0.5 teaspoon salt, or to taste

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
16 - 1 to 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
17 - Extra lime wedges

# How To Make:

01 - Bruise the lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves with the back of a knife to release their essential aromas.
02 - In a large pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, birds eye chilies, and garlic. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes to infuse the broth.
03 - Add the sliced chicken and onion. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
04 - Add mushrooms and tomato wedges. Cook for another 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through.
05 - Stir in fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and salt. Taste and adjust lime, salt, or fish sauce as desired for a perfect balance of sour, salty, and spicy flavors.
06 - Remove from heat. Discard lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves if preferred.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with cilantro, spring onions, and extra lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The aromatic broth comes together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for weeknight dinners when you crave something bold and satisfying.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, so you can share it with almost anyone at your table without apologies.
02 -
  • Fish sauce smells absolutely pungent when you first open the bottle, but trust that it will transform into savory depth once it hits the hot broth—this is not a mistake, this is the ingredient doing its job.
  • The balance of sour, salty, and spicy is personal and worth adjusting at the table rather than trying to get it perfect in the pot, because what tastes right to you might not be right for your guests.
03 -
  • Make extra broth and freeze it in ice cube trays—then you can thaw a few cubes any night you want to poach fresh chicken and vegetables in ready-made Tom Yum magic without starting from scratch.
  • Taste constantly as you season because the balance of sour and salty is what transforms a good Tom Yum into one that makes people close their eyes between spoonfuls.
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